UEFA Champions League 2025-26 begins on Tuesday, September 16, launching the league phase of Europe’s biggest club competition.
This season marks the 70th edition of the tournament, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defending their crown.
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Here’s everything you need to know — from how the new format works to the full fixture list and key dates.
What is the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 2025-26?
The league phase replaces the traditional group stage. Instead of eight groups of four, 36 teams now compete in a single league table.
- Each club plays eight matches against opponents from other countries.
- After Matchday 8, the top 24 teams progress:
- The top 8 advance directly to the Round of 16.
- Clubs ranked 9th–24th enter a two-legged playoff.
- The bottom 12 are eliminated.
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When are the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 league-phase matches?
The league-phase games will be staged across eight matchdays:
- Matchday 1: Sept 16–18, 2025
- Matchday 2: Sept 30–Oct 1, 2025
- Matchday 3: Oct 21–22, 2025
- Matchday 4: Nov 4–5, 2025
- Matchday 5: Nov 25–26, 2025
- Matchday 6: Dec 9–10, 2025
- Matchday 7: Jan 20–21, 2026
- Matchday 8: Jan 28, 2026
(All matches kick off at 19:00 GMT unless otherwise stated.)
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When are the Champions League 2025-26 knockout stages?
The knockout rounds follow the conclusion of the league phase:
- Playoff draw: Jan 30, 2026
- Knockout play-offs: Feb 17–18 & 24–25, 2026
- Round of 16: Mar 10–11 & 17–18, 2026
- Quarterfinals: Apr 7–8 & 14–15, 2026
- Semifinals: Apr 28–29 & May 5–6, 2026
- Final: Saturday, May 30, 2026 – Puskás Arena, Budapest
Where is the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 final being held?
The final will take place at the Puskás Arena in Budapest in May 2026.
What is the prize money for the UEFA Champions League 2025-26?
UEFA has allocated $2.6 billion for distribution across the league phase.
- Clubs earn rewards on a match-by-match basis.
- The ultimate winners, if unbeaten, can claim over €100 million ($116m) in total prize money.
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Full league phase match schedule
Matchday 1
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
- Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal
- PSV Eindhoven 1-3 Union Saint-Gilloise
- Juventus 4-4 Borussia Dortmund
- Real Madrid 2-1 Marseille
- Benfica 2-3 Qarabag
- Tottenham 1-0 Villarreal
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
- Olympiacos 0-0 Pafos
- Slavia Praha 2-2 Bodo/Glimt
- Ajax 0-2 Inter
- Bayern Munich 3-1 Chelsea
- Liverpool 3-2 Atletico de Madrid
- PSG 4-0 Atalanta
Thursday, September 18, 2025
- Club Brugge 4-1 Monaco
- Copenhagen 2-2 Leverkusen
- Frankfurt 5-1 Galatasaray
- Manchester City 2-0 Napoli
- Newcastle United 1-2 Barcelona
- Sporting CP 4-1 Kairat Almaty
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Matchday 2
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
- Atalanta vs Club Brugge (16:45 GMT)
- Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid (16:45 GMT)
- Atletico de Madrid vs Frankfurt
- Chelsea vs Benfica
- Inter vs Slavia Praha
- Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham
- Galatasaray vs Liverpool
- Marseille vs Ajax
- Pafos vs Bayern Munich
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
- Qarabag vs Copenhagen (16:45 GMT)
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United (16:45 GMT)
- Arsenal vs Olympiacos
- Monaco vs Manchester City
- Leverkusen vs PSV Eindhoven
- Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
- Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Napoli vs Sporting CP
- Villarreal vs Juventus
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Matchday 3
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
- Barcelona vs Olympiacos (16:45 GMT)
- Kairat Almaty vs Pafos (16:45 GMT)
- Arsenal vs Atletico de Madrid
- Leverkusen vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Copenhagen vs Borussia Dortmund
- Newcastle United vs Benfica
- PSV Eindhoven vs Napoli
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Inter
- Villarreal vs Manchester City
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
- Athletic Club vs Qarabag (16:45 GMT)
- Galatasaray vs Bodo/Glimt (16:45 GMT)
- Monaco vs Tottenham
- Atalanta vs Slavia Praha
- Chelsea vs Ajax
- Frankfurt vs Liverpool
- Bayern Munich vs Club Brugge
- Real Madrid vs Juventus
- Sporting CP vs Marseille
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Matchday 4
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
- Slavia Praha vs Arsenal (16:45 GMT)
- Napoli vs Frankfurt (16:45 GMT)
- Atletico de Madrid vs Union Saint-Gilloise
- Bodo/Glimt vs Monaco
- Juventus vs Sporting CP
- Liverpool vs Real Madrid
- Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich
- Tottenham vs Copenhagen
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
- Pafos vs Villarreal (16:45 GMT)
- Qarabag vs Chelsea (16:45 GMT)
- Ajax vs Galatasaray
- Club Brugge vs Barcelona
- Inter vs Kairat Almaty
- Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
- Newcastle United vs Athletic Club
- Marseille vs Atalanta
- Benfica vs Leverkusen
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Matchday 5
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
- Ajax vs Benfica (16:45 GMT)
- Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise (16:45 GMT)
- Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
- Chelsea vs Barcelona
- Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus
- Manchester City vs Leverkusen
- Marseille vs Newcastle United
- Slavia Praha vs Athletic Club
- Napoli vs Qarabag
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
- Copenhagen vs Kairat Almaty (16:45 GMT)
- Pafos vs Monaco (16:45 GMT)
- Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
- Atletico de Madrid vs Inter
- Frankfurt vs Atalanta
- Liverpool vs PSV Eindhoven
- Olympiacos vs Real Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham
- Sporting CP vs Club Brugge
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Matchday 6
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
- Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos (14:30 GMT)
- Bayern Munich vs Sporting CP (16:45 GMT)
- Monaco vs Galatasaray
- Atalanta vs Chelsea
- Barcelona vs Frankfurt
- Inter vs Liverpool
- PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico de Madrid
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Marseille
- Tottenham vs Slavia Praha
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
- Qarabag vs Ajax (16:45 GMT)
- Villarreal vs Copenhagen (16:45 GMT)
- Athletic Club vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Leverkusen vs Newcastle United
- Borussia Dortmund vs Bodo/Glimt
- Club Brugge vs Arsenal
- Juventus vs Pafos
- Real Madrid vs Manchester City
- Benfica vs Napoli
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Matchday 7
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
- Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge (14:30 GMT)
- Bodo/Glimt vs Manchester City (16:45 GMT)
- Copenhagen vs Napoli
- Inter vs Arsenal
- Olympiacos vs Leverkusen
- Real Madrid vs Monaco
- Sporting CP vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund
- Villarreal vs Ajax
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
- Galatasaray vs Atletico de Madrid (16:45 GMT)
- Qarabag vs Frankfurt (16:45 GMT)
- Atalanta vs Athletic Club
- Chelsea vs Pafos
- Bayern Munich vs Union Saint-Gilloise
- Juventus vs Benfica
- Newcastle United vs PSV Eindhoven
- Marseille vs Liverpool
- Slavia Praha vs Barcelona
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Matchday 8
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
- Ajax vs Olympiacos
- Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty
- Monaco vs Juventus
- Athletic Club vs Sporting CP
- Atletico de Madrid vs Bodo/Glimt
- Leverkusen vs Villarreal
- Borussia Dortmund vs Inter
- Club Brugge vs Marseille
- Frankfurt vs Tottenham
- Barcelona vs Copenhagen
- Liverpool vs Qarabag
- Manchester City vs Galatasaray
- Pafos vs Slavia Praha
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle United
- PSV Eindhoven vs Bayern Munich
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Atalanta
- Benfica vs Real Madrid
- Napoli vs Chelsea
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